Chapter I: Preface

"The Young Hunters in Porto Rico" has been written at the earnest solicitation of a number of my young readers, who wished to follow the further adventures of the Gun and Sled Club.

In a former volume of this series, "Gun and Sled," I related how the club was formed and what a jolly time its members had during a winter outing on Snow-Top Island. In the present tale, one of the members becomes the proud owner of a yacht, and of course nothing will do but to take an ocean trip on the craft. During this trip the boys learn of a Spanish treasure said to be secreted in one of the great caves near Caguas, on the island of Porto Rico, and at once a hunt is instituted, and many stirring adventures follow.

The work was written primarily for the reader's amusement, yet I have endeavored within its pages to give a fair description of the Porto Rico of to-day, as it appears to a traveler from our States. This new island domain of ours is but little known to the majority of us, but when its picturesqueness, and its mild climate, become a matter of publicity, Porto Rico is bound to become the Mecca for thousands of American tourists, in search of health and pleasure.

From the number of letters received, I am led to believe that "Gun and Sled" was well liked by my readers. If this is so, I sincerely trust that the present volume does not fall below the other in merit.

CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. A Storm Off Shore 7

II. The Man from the Wreck 16

III. Something about a Great Treasure 23

IV. A Compact of Importance 29

V. An Adventure in St. Augustine 36

VI. Into the River and Out 44

VII. Saving the Train 51

VIII. A Fire at Sea 64

IX. Fighting the Flames 73

X. A Swim not Likely to be Forgotten 80

XI. The Club Arrives at San Juan 87

XII. Prisoners of Nature 95

XIII. The Wayside Inn 102

XIV. The Man in the Room 109

XV. A Lively Fight with a Serpent 115

XVI. The Exposure of the Midnight Visitor 122

XVII. In which Danny is Rescued 130

XVIII. Strangers in Camp 137

XIX. Lost in the Forest 144

XX. An Unpleasant Talk 152

XXI. The Search for the Spanish Treasure 159

XXII. Into the Bowels of the Earth 167

XXIII. A Hurricane on the Mountain 174

XXIV. The Chamber of Bones 181

XXV. The Tablet of Stone 188

XXVI. Looking for the Camping Outfit 195

XXVII. Joseph Farvel Makes a Move 201

XXVIII. Bob is Taken Prisoner 208

XXIX. A Friend in Need 215

XXX. Finding the Spanish Treasure 222

XXXI. A Dangerous Tumble 229

XXXII. What Became of Dick 235

XXXIII. Good-Bye to Porto Rico—Conclusion 243

Young Hunters In Porto Rico.